Memories of the year: Reminiscing with Will Power

In the latest of our Memories of 2011 series, Mark Glendenning reflects on a trip to IndyCar's inaugural race on the streets of Baltimore, and a catch-up with an old friend, Penske driver Will Power, in the paddock

I'm not sure what it means when one man's highlight is another man's conversation in a service elevator. One of the blessings of working in motorsport is that you routinely find yourself doing things that most people can only ever hope to do by paying a lot of money at a charity fundraising auction, but the moment I enjoyed most of all in 2011 was about as simple as they come.

It was at Baltimore's inaugural IndyCar race. The event could have qualified as a highlight itself – in the weeks prior, most people I spoke to either couldn't find Baltimore on a map, or only knew it through gritty crime drama The Wire. Consequently, the fact that it went on to produce an event that came close to capturing the spirit of the legendary Champ Car races on the Gold Coast came as a bit of a surprise.